Subject: FW: Bills in several states aim to counter perceived liberalism of college professors Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 11:19:38 -0600 Message-ID: <B14120EE5C432443B21102F7925DAD020235F286@COKE.uwec.edu> From: "Hale, C. Kate" <HALECL@uwec.edu>
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From: Will Fantle [mailto:wfantle@sbcglobal.net]
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Subject: Bills in several states aim to counter perceived liberalism of
college professors
Last update: February 12, 2005 at 6:37 AM
Bills in several states aim to counter perceived liberalism of college
professors
Associated Press
Published February 12, 2005
WESTERVILLE, Ohio - College sophomore Charis Bridgman tends to keep
quiet
in class if she thinks her professor might disagree with her
Christian-influenced ideas.
The 19-year-old says schools such as her Otterbein College in suburban
Columbus should be a place for open discussion, but she feels some
professors make students afraid to speak up.
``They might chastise me, or not even listen to my opinion or give me a
chance to explain,'' she said.
Professors would have to include diverse opinions in classrooms under
legislation being pushed in Ohio and several other states by
conservatives
who fear too many professors indoctrinate young minds with liberal
propaganda. Such measures have had little success getting approval in
the
other states.
``I see students coming out having gone in without any ideological
leanings
one way or another, coming out with an indoctrination of a lot of
left-wing
issues,'' said bill sponsor Sen. Larry Mumper, a former high school
teacher
whose Republican party controls the Legislature.
The proposal in Ohio to create an academic ``bill of rights'' would
prohibit public and private college professors from presenting opinions
as
fact or penalizing students for expressing their views. Professors would
not be allowed to introduce controversial material unrelated to the
course.
Professors dismissed the bill as unnecessary and questioned whether its
supporters had ulterior motives, such as wanting more conservative
professors.
Similar legislation failed in California and Colorado last year, while
the
Georgia Senate passed a resolution, which is less binding than a bill,
that
suggests adoption. The California bill, which would affect only public
schools, has been reintroduced and faces opposition from professors and
student groups. An Indiana bill is nearly identical to Ohio's.
The Ohio legislation is based on principles advocated by Students for
Academic Freedom, a Washington, D.C.-based student network founded by
conservative activist David Horowitz.
``It doesn't matter a professor's viewpoint,'' Horowitz said in an
interview. ``They can be a good professor, liberal or conservative,
provided they pursue an educational mission and not a political
agenda.''
Mumper said he is concerned universities are not teaching the values
held
by taxpaying parents and students.
He questioned why lawmakers should approve funding for universities with
``professors who would send some students out in the world to vote
against
the very public policy that their parents have elected us for.''
A faculty group or school committee could oversee complaints from
students
who believe their grades were affected by a professor's bias, Mumper
said.
Joe White, a political science professor at Case Western Reserve
University
in Cleveland, said students could use perceived discrimination as an
excuse
to refuse to learn.
``We're not supposed to teach for their comfort,'' he said.
Other opponents, including the American Association of University
Professors, say such bills could stifle debate.
``We see nothing but mischief if we invite people from outside of the
university to somehow start monitoring what goes on inside the
classroom,''
said David Patton, an AAUP member and professor emeritus of Ohio State
University.
Sen. Teresa Fedor, a Democrat from Toledo, agrees: ``Can we say 21st
century witch hunt and book burning?''
---On The Net:
http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org
<http://www.startribune.com/copyright> (c) Copyright 2005 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. 5355be7.jpg
Will Fantle wfantle@sbcglobal.net
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